For many years metal and plastic interlocking pieces have been manufactured and sold as toys and model building materials for children, teenagers, and young adults. For example, LEGO building blocks remain popular today. Other types of interlocking pieces have also appeared at various times in the form of interlocking beads for inexpensive decorative items such as bracelets, necklaces, and also as basic materials for craft and novelty items, drapery and window blind adjustment controls, and similar household items. Interlocking thermoplastic resin members have also been developed as industrial materials for adjustable tubing for coolant sprays in machining operations, as flexible drive shafts for slow speed and low power applications, and as adjustable length drive chains for non-slip low energy applications.
While many variations and applications exist, the examples noted above are thought to represent a broad cross section of the prior art related to interlocking components for decorative, craft, entertainment, and functional applications. Specifically, some of those products identified above are manufactured from molded resin. Many of these items have been specially designed and engineered for their targeted applications, and as a result, the opportunity for use on a broader scale may not be optimized due to engineering and other practical considerations.